Billfold



July 28, 1942. SHERWOOD 2,291,259

B ILLFOLD Filed May 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENr OFFICE BILLFOLD Lester L. Sherwood, Los Angelcs, Calif.

Application May 31,

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a bill fold of the type adapted to be conveniently received and carried in the pocket and which serves as adepository for paper currency, checks, cards, stamps, coins, and the like, and the principal object of my invention is, to provide a bill fold wherein the main body thereof including the flaps and extensions that are folded to provide pockets are formed from a single piece of thin, flexible material, such as leather, and the various parts of the structure maintaining their folded positions without fastening and securing means such as seams of stitched thread, leather or cord lacings, or the like.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a bill fold of the character referred to where.- in certain of the parts that are folded to form walls which define and form pockets, are maintained in their folded positions by tongues that enter slits formed in adjacent walls and other walls being held in their functioning positions as a result of their being disposed between two adjacent walls.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a bill fold that includes a nuinber of separately formed pieces of thin, flexible material, such as leather, that are capable of being inserted in the fold to form additional pockets, or at the option of the user of the bill fold these separately formed parts may be dispensed with.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a bill fold having a pocket for the reception of paper currency, checks, and the like, and the opening into said pocket being fitted with a conventional slide actuated closure employing small inter-engaging fingers of metal, thus effectually preventing the displacement and loss of bills, checks, etc., from said pocket while the fastening means is in position to close the opening into said pocket.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the section of flexible material that forms the main body of the bill fold, the same being shown in flat, unfolded condition, and with the lines on which the parts of the bill fold are folded, shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking against the inner face of the bill fold before the same is folded double for insertion in the pocket.

1941, Serial No. 396,05

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bill fold in folded condition.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a separately formed piece of flexible material that is adapted to be positioned in the bill fold to provide a pair of additional pockets.

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of a pair of separately formed pieces of flexible material adapted to be inserted in the bill fold to provide additional pockets.

Fig. 'I is an enlarged longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 1-? of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of a part of the bill fold looking against the inner face thereof before the same is finally folded for insertion intothe pocket and showing a separately formed member applied to one of the walls of the bill fold to provide 'a pocket for the reception of coins, stamps, a'nd the like.

As illustrated'in Fig. lthe main body of the bill fold including the outer wall and those portions that are folded into position in front of the outer wall to form pockets, are constructed from 30 a single piece of thin, flexible material, preferably leather, and a rectangular portion ID of this piece of material and which has a length approximately twice its width forms the outer wall of the completed bill fold.

A substantially rectangular section ll of the material which has a length approximately equal to the length of the outer wall section III and. a width slightly less than the width of said outer wall projects from the upper edge of the outer 40 wall section andthis section II folds along the dotted line 11. onto the inner face of the section l0 that forms the outer wall, thereby providing an elongated pocket between the walls 'It and I I and which pocket is adapted to receive paper currency, checks,'and the like.

Formed in the inner wall member ll adjacent and parallel'on the line 01 fold a is a longitudinally disposed slot I! that provides an opening into the upper portion of the pocket between the two walls and secured to the edges of the material adjacent this opening are the complementary members'of a conventional slide fastener I3 having inter-engaging rows of hooks.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to dispense with the slot l2 and fastening means l3, and where such construction is used the space between the walls II and I I provide a blind or secret pocket for the reception of bank notes, checks, and the like, and in order to gain access to this pocket the free edge of the wall ll must be pulled upwardly a sufficient distance to permit the contents of the pocket to be removed and inserted 1 Projecting from both ends of the member l forming the outer wall of the bill fold are substantially rectangular sections l4 of material, each having a length slightly less than halfthe length of wall II and the width of each section |4 being less than the width of said wall l0.

Projecting from the upper edge of each section I4 is a substantially rectangular section I! which is adapted to fold downwardly along the dotted line 1) onto the section l4 and the space between these sections l4 and I! provide a pocket open at both ends and the length of which is less than half the length of the pocket between the walls It and II.

To connect the lower edge of the wall I! when folded onto wall l4 to the lower edge of the latter, a tongue l6 projects from the edge of wall i opposite the line of fold b, and after the wall 55 has been folded onto wall |4 this tongue is folded along the dotted line c so as to occupy a position on the opposite side of the wall I 4 from well l5. In order to accommodate this tongue I8,

the lower edge of wall I5 is provided with a narrow notch IT;

A portion of each wall l5 adjacent the comer where wall l4 unites with the upper corner of wall Ill is cut away as designated by I8 and a small triangular portion of the material just below this notch provides a reinforcing tab 09 which is folded onto and secured to the upper inner comer of the wall i4, thus providing a reinforcement for that portion of the wall l4 that is disposed at the end of the opening between the walls ii and Ill and I5 and I4 when the bill fold is completely folded for use. This tab 119 folds downwardly onto wall |4 along the dotted line it and said tab being secured in its folded position by suitable adhesive.

After the tabs i9 have been folded and secured to the walls l4 and walls i5 have been folded downwardly onto the walls l4 and the tongues i6 positioned behind walls H, the pairs of walls l4 and I5 so folded are folded along the lines 6 so as to overlie the end portions of wall II that overlie the inner face of back wall I II.

Formed in each wall I5 midway between its ends is a plurality of spaced slits 20, the same being disposed parallel with the lines of fold'b and likewise parallel with the free longitudinal edges of said walls.

A pair of identical substantially triangular walls 2| are connected to the lower edge of the back wall I0 and the lower end of each of thse walls 2| terminates in a short tab 22, the central portion thereof being cut or slit to form a small tab 23 that is oppositely disposed with respect to the tab 22 in which it is for-med.

After the folded walls l4 and I5 have been folded over onto the end portions of wall II, which latter was previously folded onto the inner face of back wall ID, the triangular walls 2| are folded upwardly along the dotted lines f so as to overlie the outer faces of the walls |4 and to retain the walls 2| in such folded positions the ends of the tabs 23 are inserted through certain of the slits 20 in the walls l5 and the smaller edge of back wall Ill and that portion 25 of said portion 24 that is positioned between the tabs 22 is adapted to fold over onto the adjacent face of portion 24 along the dotted line a. After the folded walls l4 and I! have been folded inwardly anddownwardly onto the ends of the back wall ll, the. narrow portion 25 is folded over onto the adjacent endof portion 24 and these parts are then folded on the dotted line It upwardly onto the central portion of wall II that lies on back wall III, with the sides of said portions 24 and 25 projecting between the inner edges of the folded walls l4 and I5.

The spaces between the walls l4 and I8 into which the sides of the portions 24 and 25 project may function as pockts for the reception of cards, tickets, and the like.

When the various parts of the one-piece structure have been properly folded as lust described to form the finished bill fold, the latter when open for the reception or removal of bills, checks, cards, and the like, appears as illustrated in Fig. 2, and when completely folded so as to be carried in the pocket the bi-lateral portions of the bill fold are folded together along the medial line i so that the completely folded structure has the appearance as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The space between the wall II that lies in front of the back wall I0 and which combines therewith to form a secret pocket and the front members of the bill fold comprising the folded in the bi-lateral portions of the bill fold for the reception of cards, tickets, and the like, substantially rectangular walls 29 of flexible material, such as leather, and the size of which approximates that of the walls I 4, are provided at one end with a flap 30 foldable on the dotted line :i and these walls may be inserted in the end por tions of the pocket or space between the wall II and the walls is with the flaps ill inserted between the inner ends of the walls I! and the side portions of the parts 24 and 25 that are inserted between the inner end portions of walls I 4 and I5.

In order to provide a pocket or compartment for I detachably secured to each other by a readily releasable fastening device 33, such as a conventional snap fastener.

When the ends of this member- 3| are'connected to each other, a pocket or compartment that is closed on all sides is provided between the main body portion of the member 3| and the wall 2| to which it is applied (see Fig. 11)

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a bill fold that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

Particularly desirable features of my improved bill fold are, the construction whereby the main body of the bill fold is formed from a single piece of flexible. material and the various walls and partitions in the bill fold being maintained in assembled relation without the requirement for extraneous fastening means, such as stitching with thread, or lacings of leather or cord.

A further desirable feature of my improved bill fold is the provision of extra walls or partitions which may, if desired, be readily associated with the permanent walls of the fold in providing additional pockets adapted to receive articles generally carried in bill folds.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved bill fold, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bill fold formed from a single piece of thin, flexible material and comprising a back wall, a wall projecting from the upper edge of said back wall downwardly against the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the ends of said back wall inwardly over the end portions of the wall that overlies the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the upper edges of the walls at the ends of said back wall downwardly between the wall that overlies the back wall and said end walls, there being a plurality of horizontally disposed slits formed in the central portion of said downwardly extending walls, means for detachably securing the lower edges of the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls to the lower edges of the latter, spaced walls extending from the lower edge of the back wall upwardly over the outer faces of the end walls, tabs on the lower ends of said spaced walls, tabs cut from said first mentioned tabs and adapted to engage the slits in the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls, a wall disposed between said spaced walls and extending upwardly over the central portion of the wall that projects downwardly from the top of the back wall and the sides of the wall that is arranged between said spaced walls projecting between the inner edges of the end walls and the walls that project downwardly from the upper edges thereof.

2. A bill fold as set forth in claim 1, with the wall that extends downwardly from the upper edge of the back wall being provided in its upper portion with a longitudinally disposed slot and readily releasable slide fastening means for normally closing said slot.

3. A bill fold as set forth in claim 1, with a separately formed wall of thin, flexible material positioned in front of the wall that projects downwardly from the upper edge of the back wall and tabs extending upwardly from the lower edge of said separately formed wall, which tabs are positioned between the back wall and the thin, flexible material and comprising a back wall, a wall projecting from the upper edge of said back wall downwardly against the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the ends of said back wall inwardly over the end portions of the wall that overlies the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the upper edges of the walls at the ends of said back wall downwardly between the wall that overlies the back wall and said end walls, means for detachably securing the lower edges of the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls to the lower edges of the latter, spaced walls extending from the lower edge of the back wall upwardly over the outer faces of the end walls, a wall disposed between said spaced walls and extending upwardly over the central portion of the wall that projects downwardly from the top of the back wall, the sides of the wall that is arranged between said spaced walls projecting between the inner edges of the end walls and the walls that project downwardly from the upper edges thereof, separately formed walls positioned between the end portions of the wall that projects downwardly from the upper edge of the back wall and the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the inwardly folded end walls and with portions at the inner ends of said separately formed wallspositioned between the inner end portions of said end walls and the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges thereof.

5. A bill fold formed from a single piece of thin, flexible material and comprising a back wall, a wall projecting from the upper edge of said back wall downwardly against the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the ends of said back wall inwardly over the end portions of the wall that overlies the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the upper edges of the walls at the ends of said back wall downwardly between the wall that overlies the back wall and said end walls, means for detachably securing the lower edges of the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls to the lower edges of the latter, spaced walls extending from the lower edge of the back wall upwardly over the outer faces of the end walls, a wall disposed between said spaced walls and extending upwardly over the central portion of the wall that projects downwardly from the top of the back wall, the sides of the wall that is arranged between said spaced walls projecting between the inner edges of the end walls and the walls that project downwardly from the upper edges thereof, a separately formed wall positioned behind one of the spaced walls that extend upwardly from the lower edge of the back wall, the end portions of which separately formed wall overlap. each other in front of the wall behind which the separately formed wall is positioned and readily detachable means for securing said overlapping portions to each other.

6. A bill fold formed from a single piece of thin, flexible material and comprising a back wall, a wall projecting from the upper edge of said back wall downwardly against the inner face of said back wall, there being a longituwall that is extended downwardly from the upper I over the end portions of the wall that overlies the inner face of said back wall, walls extending from the upper edges of the walls at the ends of said back wall downwardly between the wall that overlies the back wall and said end walls means 'for detachably securing the lower edges of the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls to the lower edges of the latter, spaced walls extending from the lower edge of the back wall upwardly over the outer faces of the end walls, a wall'disposed between said spaced walls and extending upwardly over 'the central portion of the wall. that projects downwardly from the top of the back wall, the sides or the wall that is arranged between said spaced walls projectingbetween the inner edges of the end walls and the walls that project downwardly from the upper edges thereof, with separately formed walls positioned between the end portions of the wall that projects downwardly from the. upper edge of the back wall and the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the inwardly folded end walls and with portions at the inner ends of said separately formed walls positioned between the inner end portions of said end walls and the walls that.

extend downwardly from the upper edges thereof.

7. A bill fold formed from a single piece oi thin, flexible material and comprising a back wall, a wall projecting from the upper edge of said back Wall downwardly against the inner face of said back wall, there Ming a longitudinally disposed slot formed in the wall that projects downwardly from the upper edge of said back ,wall, readily releasable slide fastening means for normally closing said slot, walls extending from the ends or said back wall inwardly over the end portions of the wall that, overlies the inner face oi said back wall, walls extending from the upper edges of the walls at the ends of said back wall downwardly between the wall that overlies the back wall and saidend walls,

means for detachably securing the lower edges of the walls that extend downwardly from the upper edges of the end walls to the lower edges of the latter, spaced walls extending from the lower edge of the back wall upwardly over the outer faces of .the end walls, a wall disposed between said spaced walls and extending upwardly over the central portion oi. the wall that projects downwardly from the top of the back wall, the 

